Banana Bread

The Secret to the Best Banana Bread? It’s Cream Cheese.

If you are anything like me, you’ve probably tried a dozen different banana bread recipes. It’s the classic “comfort bake”—a way to rescue forgotten fruit and fill the house with a smell that feels like a hug. But I recently stumbled upon a recipe that claims to be the last one you’ll ever need, and the secret lies in one surprising ingredient: Cream Cheese.

Most recipes rely on oil or butter alone for moisture, but this version creams together butter and a block of cream cheese. The result? A loaf that is incredibly tender, rich, and stays moist for days. It’s a “no-fail” recipe that makes two large loaves—one for you, and one to share (or freeze for later!).

Cream Cheese Banana Bread Recipe

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 60 minutes
• Yields: 2 Large Loaves

Ingredients

• 1 ½ sticks of butter (softened)
• 1 block (8 oz) cream cheese (softened)
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 4 ripe bananas (mashed)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup pecans (roughly chopped)

Instructions

1. Preheat and Prep Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare two large loaf pans by spraying them generously with baking spray (the kind with flour in it works best to ensure easy release).

2. Cream the Wet Ingredients In a large stand mixer, cream together the softened butter and the block of cream cheese until smooth and well-combined. Slowly pour in the 2 cups of sugar and mix well. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated. Tip: Scrape down the sides of the bowl here to make sure no lumps of cream cheese are hiding at the bottom.

3. Add the Dry Ingredients Add the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Turn your mixer to the lowest speed (so flour doesn’t fly everywhere!) and mix just until the dry ingredients are blended in.

4. The Bananas & Flavor Add your mashed bananas and the vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Give the bowl one final scrape down to ensure an even batter. Finally, toss in the chopped pecans and give it a quick mix.

5. Bake Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans. Place them in the oven and bake for about 1 hour.

6. The Foil Trick Check the loaves at the 45-minute mark. If the tops are getting too brown but the center isn’t done, loosely tent a piece of aluminum foil over the top for the remaining 15 minutes.

7. Cool and Serve Let the bread cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. This helps them set up so they don’t crumble when you turn them out. Slice and enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

How ripe should my bananas be? The darker, the better! Your bananas should be at least spotted brown, but fully brown or black bananas work perfectly too. The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be.

Can I save ripe bananas if I’m not ready to bake? Absolutely. If your bananas are turning brown but you don’t have time to bake, just throw them in the freezer—peel and all. They will turn completely black in the freezer, which is normal. When you are ready to bake, let them thaw on the counter; they will be mushy and perfect for mixing.

Why add cream cheese to the batter? Cream cheese adds fat and acidity, which tenderizes the gluten in the flour. This results in a crumb that is soft, dense, and moist rather than airy or dry. You won’t necessarily taste a strong “cheesecake” flavor; it just makes the texture luxurious.

Do I need to eat this with butter? Mary Katherine notes that while her family used to toast banana bread and add butter or cream cheese, this recipe is so moist that it doesn’t really need it! However, a toasted slice with a little salted butter is never a bad idea for breakfast.My loaf pans are smaller. Can I make this? This recipe is designed for two large loaf pans. If you have smaller standard pans, you might end up with enough batter for three loaves. Just be sure not to fill your pans more than 2/3 full to prevent overflowing.